I am trying to do a simple thing and that is import an AI file that contains layers. When I import into After Effects I get the new Comp and I see just one AI file icon. I can't figure out why my layers are not coming in.

I have made sure that I was selecting import as Comp or Comp + Layers. My AI file is all layers. I made sure that they are released. I even pasted my work into a different AI file altogether and I am still not getting the layers to import. Really frustrating.

Just to make sure, when you look at your file in Illstrator, how many layers do you see in the "layers" panel?remember that you can expand each layer to have many more layers of arwork. Those sub-layers won't drop in as separate layers in After Effects...

Ok. I did a screen grab with a new AI project that only has three layers. I got one grab before Layer release and one after layer release. I made sure that I am in RGB mode from the FILE pull down and I am in RGB mode. I tested this AI file with another After Effects project that imported a Photoshop file containing 332 layers (Which all layers imported from that). After Effects is still just importing one AI file that shows nothing.

after release:

Does it matter if I created a AI project with the Film Video template with 1920 x 1080 dimensions? Color Mode is still RGB. I have tried just making a new AI file with basic RBG setup and still same issue. I have not tried this on a different computer.

Hmm, well after the layer release it's set up right, though your top grab will definitely bring in only one layer... But the second one looks right... Try creating 3 new layers and copy and pasting the artowrk onto each layer...

I noticed this when I tried opening my AI file in Photoshop for giggles. It did not open since I did not save a PDF along with my AI file. So I just did a save as on my original AI project and checked the box that creates a PDF at the same time and now importing the AI file into After Effects; I can see all my layers.

Does anyone know why saving a pdf with your file makes a difference? Is this something that is common place practice with saving AI files?

The screenshot above shows a lack of understanding of illustrator layers. You can have many many many paths on a single layer. If you want to import a file with lawyers then each element you wash to animate must be on a separate layer.

I believe the OP included a before and after image to show that he did indeed understand that concept. This appears to be a separate issue, unless creating a PDF is somehow necessary for AE to understand the layers in the file.